Choose You Blog

Hi, my name is Erica Daniel, and I own and write at HaleMom.com. I’m really excited to be here to talk about one of the ChooseYou commitments of “eating right.” At HaleMom, I like to stay abreast of breaking news on health and wellness, and a recent news article really hit a nerve with me.

If you were to pick any post of mine, you’d find that although I aim to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s not always easy to accomplish, and I don’t proclaim to have things nailed down myself either. Being in the health blog niche isn’t easy, and sometimes I feel as if there is an increased pressure to live a regimented, healthy life. It’s probably mostly in my own head though, but I do feel as though I need to share the things or realizations I come to with others. I think it’s kind of crazy to think that anyone could go without indulging every once in a while anyway.

Which is why in one of my recent posts, titled “Twinkies, Cookies, and Candy, Oh My!” I had to write about the news of the professor that went on the “Twinkie diet.” I wonder why as a whole, people tend to be hard on themselves when it comes to eating right, and losing weight. It’s good to eat fruits and vegetables, of course, but as evidenced in the experiment the nutrition professor performed on himself, it’s pretty obvious that the body gives us some leeway, and it’s main concern is energy.

Something I hear in common from others is that it can hard to lead a healthy life, because of all the science involved, but it really isn’t. When making decisions for you and your family, it’s important to take into account having joy and not just sticking to a strictly healthy diet. No, twinkies and cookies should not be eaten everyday as meals, because of the risks of malnutrition and the chance of causing preventable diseases. Yes, vegetables and fruits are good for you and can even help reduce the likelihood of developing cancer. The important lesson is to keep food intake balanced, with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and remember that moderation is key.

My best advice, that I use when it comes to the not so healthy foods (which has helped me immensely,) is to read the label and only intake one serving size, that way it’s possible to stay on track and feel good about the choices made. This way, it’s known exactly how many calories have been consumed on the “bad stuff,” but that’s just one way to control the indulgent food intake. Decisions, decisions are all around us, and I have to note that even if I slip up and eat too many cookies or have an extra serving, I try not be so hard on myself, and just keep moving forward and adjust my caloric intake accordingly. It’d be more harmful to harbor intense regret about the foods eaten, and then end up falling into a bad eating cycle.

Good luck on your battles, because we all face them, but remember to enjoy life and try not to stress to much about food and making sure that every single one of your decisions is always perfect. My main transformation from living an extremely unhealthy life to becoming health conscious was my pregnancy, and that cute little girl that I call my daughter. What’s your reason for choosing you?